Country star Garth Brooks has rejected a compromise over scuppered plans for his five night comeback extravaganza in Ireland.

The US musician effectively sounded the death knell on his return to the stage for a one-off series of shows in Dublin's Croke Park stadium after he was given the offer of playing three night-time and two matinees, instead of a run of all evening performances blocked by a planning and licensing row.

Within three hours of saying he would do whatever it takes to put on the performances, Brooks said the proposal to play to 400,000 people over three days "cannot possibly compare" to five separate night concerts.

His publicist Nancy Seltzer said: "To treat 160,000 people differently than all the rest who will be seeing the show the way it was meant and created is wrong."

"He does not understand why it is once again put upon him to treat people less than they deserve to be treated and he still returns to why did they allow five shows to be sold and all these people to be disappointed.

"It is not his decision; it is, with the greatest of respect, the city council's."

Following tense behind-the-scenes talks between promoters Aiken and Dublin city planners a compromise deal was on the table to resolve what has become a major dent in the singer's comeback plans.